In this month of searching for the perfect gift our food writers, Richard Dash and Jamie Carter, bring us inspiration with their foodie last minute gifting guide
If, like us, you blinked and December dropped, then you’ll probably need a little help getting through it. Words like “you knew Christmas was coming, why haven’t you prepared?” are not welcome here. Here, you’ll find nothing but stress-free gifting inspiration for the food and drink lovers in your lives.
Vouchers
Vouchers can be found in almost every restaurant these days, but we thought it would be helpful to point out some of the independent restaurants around Cheshire that offer this handy gifting option. The independent hospitality scene really needs your support this year, so here are some tried and tested restaurants that offer vouchers that we have recommended to our own family and friends.
Lilac Cottage, Prestbury - tapas and wine bar
Suburban Green, Wilmslow - popular bar and small plates restaurant
La Popote, Marton - relaxed fine dining restaurant
The Coast, Prestbury – outstanding Italian cuisine. (They’ll give an additional £25 when you buy a £100 voucher)
Upstairs at The Grill, Chester - a New York-inspired steakhouse
Pendergast’s Steakhouse, Warrington - A new, relaxed and luxurious steakhouse
Belzan, Liverpool – a cool neighbourhood bistro
Inventery, Cheadle Hulme - creative cocktails and small plates
Out of the ordinary
Outside of the traditional vouchers, we thought we’d include some other gift ideas that are a bit out of the ordinary
Wine Cellar, Wilmslow
Forget going to the supermarket for your wines. This cellar in Wilmslow has built a name for itself as the go-to for wine lovers. Offering a whopping selection of rare, unusual and classic wines, they’re also selling bespoke hampers that can include hand-selected wines to suit your recipient's tastes. Hampers also include house-selected nibbles to accompany your wine choices. You can also purchase vouchers to redeem against any events they offer, which means wine tasting nights too.
Insider tip: You also get a third off the price when you buy a bottle to take away as well as a voucher for a complimentary cheeseboard on your next visit. The team at Wine Cellar are on hand to help with any selections if you’re not “into wines” yourself, so this makes it a very easy and stress-free option.
wincellarwilmslow.co.uk
Yas Bean, Macclesfield
For friends and family who have found themselves on Santa’s Sassy list, we have Yas Bean, an independent coffee shop that has secured a cult-like social media following. This year Yas Bean are serving both coffee and Christmas gifts with pride; gift your friend with a fresh morning coffee, a box of goodies delivered straight to their door (nationwide delivery too) or a wellness moment with their new coffee scrub. There are plenty of affordable gift options available at this pink palace in Macclesfield… Not to mention, owners Dan & Mika will be forever grateful for the support.
Three Wrens, Combermere
It’s always gin o'clock at this distillery. Three Wrens are no “secret gem” anymore. They’re a well established name throughout the whole of the North West - you’ll see their gin in most restaurants and bars. They have an award list to match too. Aside from the traditional gin hampers and bottles, did you know the doors to their distillery are actually open for you to explore? You can join the team, and other gin lovers, for a distillery tour or gin school experience to make your own gin and have a fun afternoon out.
Whisky Shop
Without the risk of flooding your gifting thoughts with alcohol, we thought we’d include a little reminder for this iconic shop in Manchester. Having recently visited for a blind-tasting night, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to tell you all how much fun it was. As bonafide whisky newbies, we were not really sure what to expect, but we were greeted with open arms by all the Whisky Club members. The Whiskey Club is an annual subscription. One year's membership includes exclusive tasting events, access to members-only bottlings, priority notice of rare and limited releases, members-only deals (in-store and online), subscription to Whiskeria magazine, and more. An annual subscription is £30. We call that a bargain, and a gift out of the ordinary.
Find more of the best of local food and drink at lostincheshire.co.uk and on Instagram @lostincheshire
